EP4660022A1

EP4660022A1 - Closable wheel chock for industrial and/or commercial vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP4660022A1
Application number: EP25169182.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniele BARATTINI; Andrea BUCCOLIERI; Luca Oronzo GRECO
Original assignee: Lokhen Srl
Current assignee: Lokhen Srl
Priority date: 2024-06-05
Filing date: 2025-04-08
Publication date: 2025-12-10

Abstract

A closable wheel chock (4) for vehicles comprising a pair of side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7), each equipped with a stop ramp (8), a support wall (12) and a support base (16) on the ground, wherein each stop ramp (8) has a front face (18) shaped to interface with a vehicle wheel, extending from a lower front vertex (20) to an upper rear vertex (24), wherein each support wall (12) extends from said upper rear vertex (24) to a lower rear vertex (28), opposite to the stop ramp (8) with respect to a vertical plane (V-V), perpendicular to the support base (16) and passing through said upper rear vertex (24), wherein each support base (16) extends from said lower front vertex (20) to said lower rear vertex (28), a connecting structure (32) of said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7), movable from a closing or resting configuration, in which said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) are close to each other and/or at least partially in contact along a transverse direction (T-T), to an opening or working configuration, in which said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) are spaced apart from each other along said transverse direction (T-T). The side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) are translatable parallel to said transverse direction (T-T) to switch from the opening configuration to the closing configuration and vice versa; the connecting structure (32) being arranged in an intermediate space (36), delimited by inner side walls (40) of the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7), wherein said connecting structure (32) comprises at least a first central hinge (44), which connects at least two upper connecting rods (48) hinged to the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) from the side of the respective upper rear vertices (24) at upper pins (52), and at least two mutually movable lower rods (56), which connect the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) from the side of the respective lower front vertices (20).

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to a closable wheel chock for vehicles, in particular for industrial and/or commercial vehicles.

BACKGROUND ART

As known, in the transport field, wedges, i.e., wheel chocks, are frequently used, which are arranged at the wheels of the vehicle and/or trailer, so as to prevent any movement thereof, for example due to the presence of even slightly steep terrain.
Therefore, wheel chocks are components subject to high mechanical stresses because they must withstand heavy loads of several tons and are normally exposed to the action of whether agents.
Indeed, the wedges are not normally kept in the driver's cab of the vehicle, but they are placed on the trailer, in a substantially vertical position, at least partially housed in appropriate structures, referred to as wedge racks, usually fixed to the chassis of the vehicle.
The wedges, provided in pairs on each vehicle, must thus be both light-weight and robust. They must be light-weight because they are handled continuously by drivers and therefore must meet ergonomic criteria.
At the same time, they must be robust because any risk of accidental breakage, even under full load, must be avoided since there would be a risk of unintentional movements of the vehicle and/or related trailer, also arranged along ramps with often non-negligible slopes.
Obviously, the two mentioned needs are antithetical, because it is necessary to limit the resistant sections, the thicknesses, and the connections/walls between the support elements in order to reduce the weight, whereas, conversely, it is necessary to increase them in order to increase the strength. Last but not least, the chocks must be affordable.
In order to achieve the aforesaid advantages, various solutions of wedges made of plastic material have been developed in the art, by means of injection molding.
Therefore, cost-effective and sufficiently light-weight solutions are obtained, but often at the expense of mechanical strength and especially durability.
Indeed, even if, on the one hand, the known solutions made of plastic material can meet the type-approval criteria required for these devices, on the other hand, also because of the unfavorable environmental conditions of both work and preservation of the wedges, they rapidly lose their mechanical properties and tend to deteriorate prematurely.
Furthermore, there is an undisputed technical problem related to the overall dimensions of the wedge: the wedge, especially if for use with large-diameter wheels, has non-negligible overall dimensions, and therefore are not housable inside the vehicle cab, but as mentioned they are placed in appropriate external wedge racks, usually in a vertical position.
The external positioning has further disadvantages: on the one hand, the wedge is continually subjected to the action of external whether agents, which accelerate the aging thereof and therefore their replacement, and on the other hand, the wedges are often stolen (because they are easily removable from the chassis of the vehicle to which they are fixed).
Solutions of at least partially folding wedges have been provided in the art to reduce the overall dimensions of the wedges when they are not in use. Such solutions provide for the presence of movable parts that can be at least partially folded on the body of the wedge in order to reduce the overall dimensions in resting condition, flattening the shape thereof as much as possible with respect to the operating wedge configuration.
Such known solutions are not particularly reliable and durable today because, as mentioned, the wheel chock is highly biased in use and the presence of movable parts weakens the mechanical strength thereof unless thickeners and reinforcements are introduced, which would however increase the weight and cost thereof compared to known solutions of the "fixed" or non-closable type.
Such cost and weight increases are not acceptable in the field of commercial vehicle equipment.

OVERVIEW OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the need is felt to solve the drawbacks and limitations mentioned with reference to the prior art.
In particular, the need is felt to provide a wheel chock that, on the one hand, is strong, reliable, and durable and, on the other hand, has small dimensions so that it can also be housed in the cab (when not in use), without increasing the cost and weight thereof.
Such a need is met by a wheel chock according to claim 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more comprehensible from the following description of preferred, non-limiting embodiments thereof, in which:

figure 1 depicts a front perspective view of a wheel chock according to an embodiment of the present invention, in an opening or working configuration;
figure 2 depicts a side view of the wheel chock in figure 1;
figures 3-5 depict bottom perspective views of the wheel chock in figure 1;
figure 6 depicts a front perspective view of the wheel chock in figure 1, in a closed or resting configuration;
figure 7-8 depict side and rear views of the wheel chock in figure 1, in a closed or resting configuration;
figure 9 depicts a front perspective view of a wheel chock according to a further embodiment of the present invention, in an opening or working configuration;
figures 10-11 depict bottom views of the wheel chock in figure 9, in an open or working configuration;
figures 12-13 depict further front perspective views of the wheel chock in figure 9, in an opening or working configuration;
figures 14-15 depict a perspective view and a bottom view of the wheel chock in figure 9, in a closed or resting configuration;
figure 16 depicts a front perspective view of a wheel chock according to a further embodiment of the present invention, in an opening or working configuration;
figures 17-18 depict bottom views of the wheel chock in figure 16, in an open or working configuration;
figures 19-20 depict further front perspective views of the wheel chock in figure 16, in an opening or working configuration;
figures 21-23 depict various views of the wheel chock in figure 16, in a closing or working configuration.
The elements or parts of elements common to the embodiments described below will be indicated by the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the aforementioned figures, reference numeral 4 diagrammatically indicates, as a whole, a closable wheel chock or wedge for trucks or similar commercial and/or industrial vehicles, according to the present invention.
The closable wheel chock 4 for vehicles comprises a pair of side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7, each equipped with a stop ramp 8, a support wall 12 and a support base 16 on the ground.
Each stop ramp 8 has a front face 18 shaped to interface with a vehicle wheel, extending from a lower front vertex 20 to an upper rear vertex 24.
For example, the front faces 18 of the stop ramps 8 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 are flat or even concave, so that they are substantially counter-shaped with respect to an associable circular profile of the supported tire of the vehicle. According to a possible embodiment, the front faces 18 can have further geometries and can also be corrugated, for example, to increase grip with the vehicle tire.
Each support wall 12 extends from said upper rear vertex 24 to a lower rear vertex 28, opposite to the stop ramp 8 with respect to a vertical plane V-V, perpendicular to the support base 16 and passing through said upper rear vertex 24.
Each support base 16 extends from said lower front vertex 20 to said lower rear vertex 28. The support base 16 can be either continuous or discontinuous.
The wheel chock 4 further comprises a connecting structure 32 of said side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7, movable from a closing or resting configuration, in which said side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 are close to each other and/or at least partially in contact along a transverse direction T-T, to an opening or working configuration, in which said side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 are spaced apart from each other along said transverse direction T-T.
In particular, the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 are translatable parallel to said transverse direction T-T to switch from the opening configuration to the closing configuration and vice versa.
The connecting structure 32 is arranged in an intermediate space 36 delimited by inner side walls 40 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7, mutually facing each other.
Said intermediate space 36 has a variable width as a function of the distance between the inner side walls 40 along the transverse direction T-T.
Said connecting structure 32 comprises at least a first central hinge 44, which connects at least two upper connecting rods 48 hinged to the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 from the side of the respective upper rear vertices 24 at upper pins 52, and at least two mutually movable lower rods 56, which connect the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 from the side of the respective lower front vertices 20.
According to an embodiment, the upper connecting rods 48 and/or the lower rods 56 are load-bearing and configured to receive a load from the associable vehicle wheel, at an upper edge 58 thereof, and to transmit it to the ground by means of a support wall 60 parallel to and aligned with the support base 16 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7.
In other words, the upper connecting rods 48 and/or the lower rods 56 have an upper edge 58 aligned and shaped like the front face 18 of the stop ramps 8 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 so as to support, in conjunction therewith, the load transmitted by the wheel of the associable vehicle.
Preferably, said first central hinge 44 is raised with respect to the support base 16 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 so as not to discharge any loads onto the ground. In other words, the first central hinge 44 only acts as a rotary joint for connecting the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 and not as a strut for transmitting the load coming from the wheel.
Preferably, said upper pins 52 are not raised with respect to the support base 16 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 so as to discharge part of the load onto the ground. In other words, the upper pins 52 act both as rotating joints for connecting the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 and as struts for transmitting the load coming from the wheel.
According to a possible embodiment (figures 1-8), said lower rods 56 are hinged to said first central hinge 44 and to said side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 from the side of the respective lower front vertices 20, at lower pins 62.
According to a possible embodiment, said lower pins 62 are housed inside slots 66. The slots 66 are preferably directed along a longitudinal direction L-L, perpendicular to the transverse direction T-T, so as to allow a translation movement between the lower pins 62 and the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7, substantially parallel to the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 themselves.
According to a possible embodiment (figures 16-23), said lower rods 56 are connected to each other by means of a second central hinge 70 and are hinged to said side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 from the side of the respective lower front vertices 20 at lower pins 62.
Preferably, said second central hinge 70 is raised with respect to the support base 16 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 so as not to discharge any loads onto the ground.
In other words, the second central hinge 70 only acts as a rotary joint for connecting the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 and not as a strut for transmitting the load coming from the wheel.
According to a possible embodiment (figures 9-15), said lower rods 56 are constrained to said side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 from the side of the respective lower front vertices 20 and are constrained to each other by means of a telescopic connection 74, along said transverse direction T-T.
The telescopic structure 74 can comprise a plurality of lower rods 56 at least partially housed and covered by a central plate 78.
Preferably, said upper connecting rods 48 and/or lower rods 56 have a hollow box-like structure. According to a further embodiment, said upper connecting rods 48 and/or lower rods 56 have a solid structure.
According to a possible embodiment, the connecting structure 32 is configured so that, in the closing configuration of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7, it is contained in the intermediate space 36, within a transverse dimension of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 themselves.
According to a possible embodiment, the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7, from the side of the support walls 12, comprise at least one recess 80 to facilitate the grip and opening the wheel chock 4. However, said recess 80 is optional.
Preferably, the two upper connecting rods 48 and/or the two lower rods 56 are counter-shaped to the front faces 18 of the stop ramps 8 of the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 with respect to a projection plane perpendicular to said transverse direction T-T.
The materials of the wheel chocks 4 described above can be various; preferably, but not exclusively, the stop ramp 8 and/or the support wall 24 are made of a plastic material, possibly reinforced with metal inserts.
The operation, thus the opening/closing method, of a wheel chock according to the present invention will now be described.
In particular, when not in use, the wheel chock can be stored in a closed configuration, i.e., with the side wheel chocks/wedges substantially close to each other or in mutual contact.
Thus, in a closed configuration, the wheel chock 4 takes a flat, particularly compact configuration with a small transverse dimension, and for example can be stored inside the vehicle cab.
In principle, in the closed or resting configuration, the wheel chock 4 has a dimension equal to about half of its dimension in the configuration of use. It is also possible to provide embodiments in which, in the closed or resting configuration, the wheel chock 4 has a dimension either greater or smaller than half of its dimension in the configuration of use.
In such a configuration, the connecting structure 32 is practically concealed in the intermediate space 36 between the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7.
If required, the wheel chock 4 can be "opened" by arranging the side wheel chocks/wedges 6,7 in the working configuration, i.e., of maximum transverse distance from each other.
The wheel chock 4 is now operational. If the wheel of the vehicle approaches the stop ramp 8, the wheel weight itself locks the stop ramp 8 in place.
As can be appreciated from the description above, the wheel chocks according to the invention allow overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.
In particular, the present invention allows providing a wheel chock which is mechanically strong and durable over time.
The chock has no greater cost or weight than the equivalent "fixed"-type, i.e., non-folding, solutions of the prior art, while being lighter and less expensive than known folding solutions.
The wheel chock according to the present invention in a folded configuration has a significantly reduced volume and can thus also be easily stored inside the cab or passenger compartment of the vehicle.
The wheel chock of the present invention has a particularly low weight.
The geometric structure with ribs ensures that the wheel chock meets the needs and requirements for robustness and mechanical strength.
The wheel chock of the present invention, in a closed or folded configuration, has a particularly compact structure, which can be easily stored inside the cab of the vehicle. This thus avoids the wheel chock from being subjected to whether agents when not in use (increasing the actual life thereof) and from being removed by third parties.
The wheel chock of the present invention is particularly safe because the opening/closing movement of the side wheel chocks/wedges is transverse to the load applied by the vehicle wheel: therefore, the application of the load by the wheel does not tend to open or close the wheel chock itself.
In order to meet contingent, specific needs, those skilled in the art may make several changes and variations to the wheel chocks described above.
The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the following claims.

List of reference signs:

4: wheel chock
6,7: side wheel chocks/wedges
8: stop ramp
12: support wall
16: support base
18: front face
20: lower front vertex
24: upper rear vertex
28: lower rear vertex
32: connecting structure
36: intermediate space
40: inner side walls
44: first central hinge
48: upper connecting rods
52: upper pins
56: lower rods
58: upper edge
60: support wall
62: lower pins
66: slots
70: second central hinge
74: telescopic connection
78: central plate
80: recess
V-V: vertical axis
T-T: transverse direction
L-L: longitudinal direction

Claims

Closable wheel chock (4) for vehicles comprising:
- a pair of side wheel chocks/side wedges (6,7), each equipped with a stop ramp (8), a support wall (12) and a support base (16) to a ground,

- wherein each stop ramp (8) has a front face (18) shaped to interface with a vehicle wheel, extending from a lower front vertex (20) to an upper rear vertex (24),

- wherein each support wall (12) extends from said upper rear vertex (24) to a lower rear vertex (28), opposite to the stop ramp (8) with respect to a vertical plane (V-V), perpendicular to the support base (16) and passing through said upper rear vertex (24),

- wherein each support base (16) extends from said lower front vertex (20) to said lower rear vertex (28),

- a connecting structure (32) of said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7), movable from a closing or resting configuration in which said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) are close and/or at least partially in contact with each other along a transverse direction (T-T) to an opening or working configuration in which said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) are spaced apart from each other along said transverse direction (T-T),

- the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) being translatable parallel to said transverse direction (T-T) to switch from the opening configuration to the closing configuration and vice versa,

- the connecting structure (32) being arranged in an intermediate space (36), delimited by inner side walls (40) of the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7), mutually facing each other, said intermediate space (36) being variable as a function of the distance between the inner side walls (40) along the transverse direction (T-T),

- wherein said connecting structure (32) comprises at least a first central hinge (44) connecting at least two upper connecting rods (48) hinged to the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) from the side of the respective upper rear vertices (24) at upper pins (52), and at least two mutually movable lower rods (56) connecting the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) from the side of the respective lower front vertices (20).
Closable wheel chock (4) according to claim 1, wherein the upper connecting rods (48) and/or the lower rods (56) are load-bearing and configured so as to receive a load from the associable vehicle wheel, at an upper edge (58) thereof, and to transmit it to the ground by means of a support wall (60) parallel to and aligned with the support base (16) of the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7).
Closable wheel chock (4) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first central hinge (44) is raised with respect to the support base (16) of the side wedges (6,7) so as not to discharge any loads on the ground.
Closable wheel chock (4) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said upper pins (52) are aligned with respect to the support base (16) of the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) so as to discharge the load on the ground.
Closable wheel chock (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said lower rods (56) are hinged to said first central hinge (44) and to said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) from the side of the respective lower front vertices (20), at lower pins (62).
Closable wheel chock (4) according to claim 5, wherein said lower pins (62) are housed within slots (66).
Closable wheel chock (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said lower rods (56) are connected to each other by means of a second central hinge (70) and are hinged to said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) from the side of the respective lower front vertices (20) at lower pins (62).
Closable wheel chock (4) according to claim 7, wherein said second central hinge (70) is aligned with respect to the support base (16) of the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) so as to discharge any load on the ground.
Closable wheel chock (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said lower rods (56) are constrained to said side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7) from the side of the respective lower front vertices (20) and are constrained to each other by means of a telescopic connection (74), along said transverse direction (T-T).
Closable wheel chock (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said upper connecting rods (48) and/or lower rods (56) have a hollow box-like structure.
Closable wheel chock (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the connecting structure (32) is configured so that, in the closing configuration of the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7), it is contained in the intermediate space (36), within a transverse dimension of the side wedges (6,7) themselves.
Closable wheel chock (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the side wheel chocks/wedges (6,7), from the side of the support walls (12), comprise at least one recess (80) for facilitating gripping and opening the wheel chock (4).
Closable wheel chock (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the front faces (18) of the stop ramps (8) are flat or concave and wherein the two upper connecting rods (48) and/or the two lower rods (56) are counter-shaped to the front faces (18) with respect to a projection plane perpendicular to said transverse direction (T-T).